Syllabus, Rumi seminar

Monday, August 27th:
1/2 hour class meeting; introduce class, syllabus.
If you have any questions about when your half day classes are, click here.

Wednesday, August 29th:
*Read Rumi article ("Persian Poet Top Seller")
*Frank Lewis, Rumi, “intro”.
*I will provide background material on Sufism.

Monday, September 3th:
*Andrew Harvey, Teachings of Rumi, 1-94.

Wednesday, September 5th:
*Andrew Harvey, Teachings of Rumi, 95-172.

Monday, September 10th: Rumi's Father (Baha Valad)

*Frank Lewis, Rumi, chapter 1 (41-96)
*William Chittick, "Images of Beatitiude",
from Sufism: A Short Introduction, pages 97-110.
*A.J. Arberry, "Aspects of Islamic Civilization", pages 227-255.
[Both of the last two items are in the coursepack]

Rumi's mentors:
Borhan al-Din and Shams

Wednesday, September 12th: Borhan al-Din Mohaqqeq,
Frank Lewis, Rumi, chapter 2

Monday, September 17th: Shams-e Tabrizi,
*Frank Lewis chapter 3 & 4

SPECIAL LECTURE (mandatory):

Monday, September 17th, 4:30
place: 105 Lawrence Hall
Michael Sells, of Haverford College

Speaking on Bosnia
Center for World Ethics and Society

Special Lecture (mandatory)

Tuesday, September 18th, 4 p.m.
105 Lawrence Hall (Ho lecture room)
Michael Sells, of Haverford College

"Qur'an and the Western Canon:
Integrating the Qur'an into the Liberal Arts Curricula"
- Refreshments will be served.

Wednesday, September 19th:

*Rumi’s life (Lewis 7)
*more translations from Manaqib al-'arifin

Rumi talks to his discples:
Fihi ma fihi: "In it is what's in it"

Monday, September 24th:
*Signs of the Unseen, 1-80.

Wednesday, September 26th:
*Signs of the Unseen, 81-150,

Monday, October 1st:
*Signs of the Unseen, 151-260.

Wednesday, October 3rd :
*Rumi’s poetry (Lewis, 8)
*Rumi’s teachings (Lewis, 9)

Monday, October 8th: No Class, Mid-Term Recess. Read ahead for Wednesday.

The Sufi context of Rumi's poetry:

Wednesday, October 10th:
*Chittick, Sufi Path of Love, 17-108.

Monday, October 15th:
*Chittick, Sufi Path of Love, 109-193.

Wednesday, October 17th:
*Helminski, The Rumi Collection, 1-67.
*Chittick, Sufi Path of Love, 194-285.

Monday, October 22nd:
*Helminski, The Rumi Collection, 68-144.
*Chittick, Sufi Path of Love, 286-349.

The Literary tropes of Rumi's poetry:

Wednesday, October 24th:
*Helminski, The Rumi Collection, 145-198.
*Schimmel, The Triumphal Sun, 1-93.

Liteary images in Rumi's poetry

Monday, October 29th:
*Schimmel, The Triumphal Sun, 93-184.

Wednesday, October 31st :
*Schimmel, The Triumphal Sun, 184-280.

Monday, November 5th:
*Schimmel, The Triumphal Sun, 280-366.

focus on the Mevlevi order,

Wednesday, November 7th:
*Frank Lewis, Rumi, Chapter 10, 423-467;

Monday, November 12th:
Frank Lewis, Rumi, 467-527. (skim)

Wednesday, November 14th:
*Frank Lewis, Rumi, 528-615 (skim).
*Film in class on Americanization of Rumi.

Monday, November 19th: (no class, but read the following)
*Coleman Barks, Essential Rumi, 1-76.

Wednesday, November 21st: Thanksgiving Recess

Monday, November 26th:
*Coleman Barks, Essential Rumi,76-172.

The Mevlevi order
comes to America: focus on

Women's experiences

Wednesday, November 28th:
*Reinhertz, Women Called to the Path of Rumi, 1-85

Monday, December 3rd:
*Reinhertz, Women Called to the Path of Rumi, 85-175;

Wednesday, December 5th: Last Day of Classes
*Reinhertz, Women Called to the Path of Rumi, 176-236.

These pictures come from a variety of sources. A good many of them originally appear in the the photo album of the Threshold Society. Some of the pictures, in particular that of the last section are from photo album of the Nortoh America Mevlevi organization.